Stuart commissioners ease alcohol restrictions

STUART — In the first meeting of their new term, Stuart city commissioners unanimously approved an easing of downtown's restrictive alcohol ordinance, giving previously excluded small restaurants an opportunity to serve wine and beer. Only one resident spoke against the new code.

"This will have a low impact on downtown," City Manager Paul Nicoletti told the commissioners.

The city's alcohol code previously limited alcohol sales to 30 percent of the floor space in downtown businesses. Downtown includes sections of Flagler and Colorado Avenues and Osceola Street. With existing restaurants at the 30-percent cap, new eateries had no opportunity to offer alcohol.

Downtown newcomers Hachiku Suchi Restaurant and Stuart Coffee Company spearheaded the campaign to amend the code.

The amendment will allow restaurants providing a full-service menu to offer only wine and beer, and no later than 10:30 p.m. Such restrictions were included to prevent downtown from becoming a nightlife Mecca.

But the restrictions weren't enough for Armond Pasquale, owner of the Riverview Apartments on Seminole Street.

"The 30-percent limit has worked well for many years," he told the commission. "Do not change it."

He complained of noise and police calls for drunken incidents at downtown establishments. Police Chief David Dyess, though, told the commissioners that downtown has no more alcohol-related complaints than other parts of the city.

Earlier in the meeting, commissioners elected their new mayor and vice mayor. Second-term commissioner Eula Clarke and Troy McDonald were named mayor and vice mayor. Clarke had been serving as vice mayor under James Christie Jr., who is still on the commission. Clarke, McDonald and Christie were sworn into the new term Monday night, among dozens of friends and family members. Fellow commissioners Jeffrey Krauskopf and Kelli Glass-Leighton are in the middle of their terms.

Also at the Monday meeting, the commission gave final approval to a 135-foot-high telecommunications tower off Commerce Avenue in South Stuart.